The Serengeti holds one of the richest collections of large animals on Earth. On a few days of game drives, most guests see big cats, huge herds, elephants and giraffes, plus a long list of smaller animals and birds. This guide covers what lives here and where to find it.
Big cats
| Animal | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Lion | Everywhere; kopjes and rivers in the central and southern Serengeti |
| Leopard | Trees along the Seronera River |
| Cheetah | Open plains in the south and east |
| Serval | Long grass and marsh edges |
Read our guides to the Big Five and the serval.
The migration herds
Around 1.5 million wildebeest, plus hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, move through the Serengeti each year. Where they are depends on the month. See our Great Wildebeest Migration guide.
Large mammals
- Elephants: in woodland areas, especially the north and west.
- Cape buffalo: herds near water and in woodland.
- Giraffes: Masai giraffes in acacia woodland.
- Hippos: in pools along the Seronera, Grumeti and Mara rivers.
- Black rhinos: few in number and rarely seen.
Predators and scavengers
- Spotted hyenas: very common and important hunters.
- Jackals: black-backed and golden jackals on the plains.
- Bat-eared foxes: often near burrows in the south.
- African wild dogs: rare in the park.
- Vultures: several species, often a sign of a kill.
Antelopes and gazelles
Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, impalas, topi, hartebeest, eland, waterbuck, reedbuck, dik-diks and klipspringers on the kopjes. Read our guide to antelopes and gazelles in Tanzania.
Smaller mammals
- Hyraxes on the kopjes.
- Mongooses, including banded and dwarf mongooses.
- Honey badgers, rarely seen.
- Warthogs, olive baboons and vervet monkeys.
- Aardvarks, pangolins and porcupines, mostly at night.
Reptiles
Nile crocodiles in the rivers, monitor lizards, agama lizards on rocks and tortoises. Snakes are present but seldom seen. See snakes in Tanzania.
Birds
More than 500 species live in the Serengeti, including ostriches, secretary birds, kori bustards, lilac-breasted rollers, grey-crowned cranes, Fischer’s lovebirds and many birds of prey. The green season from November to April brings migrant birds from Europe and Asia.
Best areas by animal
| Area | Strong for |
|---|---|
| Central (Seronera) | Leopards, lions, all-year wildlife |
| South and Ndutu | Migration herds (December–March), cheetahs |
| Western corridor | Grumeti crossings, crocodiles |
| North | Mara River crossings (July–October), elephants |
Plan your Serengeti safari
Serengeti & Crater covers the central Serengeti and adds the Ngorongoro Crater for rhinos. For the migration, see Calving Season, Ndutu or River Crossing Season. For practical tips, read our Serengeti guide.
Frequently asked questions
Lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, zebras, wildebeest, many antelopes and more than 500 bird species.
Yes, but only a small number of black rhinos, mostly in protected areas such as the Moru Kopjes. The Ngorongoro Crater is a better place to see them.
Black rhinos, African wild dogs, pangolins and aardvarks are among the hardest to find.
